1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a work-ahead method for improving the productivity and efficiency of a remotely-controlled, automated postage meter of the type used to print postage and other digital data on successive batches of mail (e.g., letters, flats, packages, and the like) that are to be continuously fed through the meter at high speed to complete one job after another without having to stop meter between jobs.
2. Background Art
Postage meters have been used around the world to imprint on a piece of mail a postage corresponding to an amount that is prepaid to the postal service of a country. The majority of postal services now require certain digital information to be printed on the mail along with the requisite postage. To meet the requirement of printing digital data, modern postage meters have changed earlier printing technology from a rotary type to an ink jet printing process.
In many large government agencies, schools and businesses, postage is applied to outgoing mail one batch at a time with each batch originating from a different department. In this manner, each department can be accurately charged with the correct amount it has expended on postage. A significant problem with the current digital printing technology is that a large amount of time is wasted between the end of one job during which postage is imprinted on a first batch of mail from a first department and the beginning of the next job for imprinting the postage on a second batch of mail from a different department. That is to say, a delay is introduced from finishing the overhead for the first job to starting the next job.
More particularly, it is common for operators of remotely (i.e., software) controlled, automated postage meters after completing a first job run to change the postage meter parameters before starting a second job run. Such parameters often include the postal class to be affixed, the postage rate, accounting information to identify the party whose account will be charged, the date, advertising text, etc. When these parameters are changed prior to running the next job, the postage meter and its operator stand idly by such that the meter is unavailable to process the next batch of mail until the print head overhead tasks for the preceding job have first been completed. When many batches of mail are to be processed during successive job runs, a significant overall time is wasted for the postage meter to complete its respective overhead tasks from one job run to the next.